Central Village

Two late items

This article is funny. Video games, drugs and humping in the hallway!

This video is so awesome...right up until the chicken blows up. Then it completely falls apart. It's like they ran out of ideas or something. It's a shame, really. Regardless, it's better than their last one, which was just awful from beginning to end.

I may have a new favorite band of 2006

There's this CD I got a while back that's been sitting on my cluttered desk at home for I don't know how long. It would always catch my eye, never got around to listening to it. Had no reason to, really, as I am very behind in the new music department as it is and, while I had gotten some emails and seen a few blog mentions here and there, it was nothing that really made them stand out.

I'm not sure what it was exactly that got me to finally listen. I must have read something in passing that sparked an interest. But when I got home last night, I made a point to get my ears on this thing. And, only about half way through the album, I started IMing friends telling them to listen to these guys. I was completely hooked. This is one of the best things I've heard all year. Mark my words.

I even woke up this morning looking forward to put it on again while I was getting ready to goto work. I can't even remember the last time I was this excited about a new band. What makes it so great? Well, let me try to explain. It has that Chicago sound. That experimental yet accessible Chin Up Chin Up/Fiery Furnaces/Kinsella type thing. It doesn't sound like anything else, but reminds me of about 2 dozen of my favorite bands. Everything from TV on the Radio to Modest Mouse to Joan of Arc to The Twilight Singers to Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Bright Eyes, Chin Up Chin Up...the list goes on and on. It takes from every indie reference point, bends each slightly and puts it back out there. There's even a killer hip hop worthy album intro that rips right into the TVotR-covering-Disco-Sheets sounding jam, "Andover'. From there, it's all aces through the end.

Like I said, I haven't spent much time with this record, and maybe I'll end up second guessing myself down the line, but I don't think so. It's love at first sight. I keep finding something new with each listen. It's easy to play, tough to master. Recommended to anyone who likes anything. Seriously.

Bound Stems - Andover (mp3)
Bound Stems - Western Biographic (mp3)
Bound Stems - Refuse the Refuse (mp3)

They're playing Merc tomorrow night at 11:00. Highly anticipated.

The Lower East Side...I dunno

The Lower East Side is completely out of control! What on earth is going on? Remember the blackout of 200...3 was it? Where there were just droves of drunk people milling around in the dark without any aim or purpose. That's what Ludlow was like this weekend. It was a college town. After a national championship win. Sidewalks packed, shoulder to shoulder with loud, well dressed kids stumbling around from bar to bar. I went to see a band at Pianos at 11. It was so packed it took me 5 minutes just to get back to the music room. That's like 30 feet. Forget getting a drink. I wouldn't even know where to begin trying to get close enough to the bar to actually order something. When I left an hour later, there was a line around the corner to get in! To get into Pianos! Why???? Say what you will about that place, but under exactly what circumstances would you wait more than...30 seconds to get in there? Maybe if the girl in front of you couldn't find her ID in her purse too quick? But to stand in line, on a somewhat chilly night, no less, around the block for the right to stand in a loud, crowded space where you have to actually get physical to get a drink. And not a free drink, at that, but one you then have to pay for. Did I just get really old really quick? I can't even begin to fathom the appeal of this.

After the show, we headed to the Back Room, where some friends of ours were DJing, and another was celebrating his birthday. No line outside, no crowd hanging around. It was quiet. We were looking forward to this.

But we go in and it was just as jammed as anywhere else. Just instead of having a line, I guess they just tell people to go away. Needless to say this wasn't much better, although at least it was good to see some friendly faces.

So, two bars and at not one did I even come close to getting a drink. That wasn't fun. Not only was it unfun, but it kind of goes directly against the whole purpose of a bar, no? Whatever. Not that the Meatpackingization of the LES is breaking news or anything, but to deal with it in such extremes as I did this weekend was just a complete shock to the system. I mean, I still know people who live down there. Am I gonna have to speak of them like I do the kids who I went to college with who live in Murray Hill? It's seriously as bad down there on a weekend than anywhere else in the city right now.

Where's the outrage!? Where's the exodus of cool? Why are respectable people still clinging on down there to a culture which is completely gone? Maybe most importantly...where to next?

Don't say Brooklyn.

Ray LaMontange at Maxwells This Sunday for Free

Show up at 7:00. First come, first serve.

Quintessential Blog Rock

I mean, just look at that picture. 7 members, 2 pretty girls, mustaches, glasses, headbands, flowers, collared shirts. It's like if you took every truth and stereotype about post-Arcade Fire indie rock, threw it in a blender and dumped it out at a CMJ day party. Right down to the fact that the music is actually quite good. Are people actually blogging about these guys yet? I lost track. They're playing Pianos on Saturday. You can listen to them at myspace. I can't find any mp3s, unfortunately. I recommend "The New Flesh." Especially if you haven't listened to TAF in a while and prefer well-timed yelps to actual lyrics.

When is myspace going to come out with a embeddable music player. Isn't that really the next logical step?

UPDATE: Oops. The band is called Ra Ra Riot.

Slowlands...again. With Tokyo Police Club

One of these shows will be the last one till CMJ. That I promise you. Josh asked me to mention here that the band is the emergency replacement for Aeroplane Pageant (The band once responsible for me seeing Jesse Lacey play solo at the Alphabet Lounge back before I thought it was cool to blog about emo.) They go on at 11:00. There is free Spark from 9 till 10 and the door is $6. Tokyo Police Club goes on after them.

I would totally be there tonight, but I came down with an awful case of hangover around 3:00 this afternoon and won't be able to move once I get home. I'm sure it'll be a great time, tho.

A Tour for Everybody?

I'm telling you...it's one of those weeks. Bloc Party is going on tour with Panic! at the Disco. I've got nothing against Panic, really. They put on a real SHOW, from what I hear, despite sounding like A Fall Out Boy/Backstreet Boys mashup. I really dig that they tour with bands I genuinely love like BP and The Dresden Dolls too.

Anyway...Arenas. Massive venues. A long way from the Knitting Factory and Rothko. My, how the kids have grown...

They're playing the Theater @ MSG on 11/13-14. Honestly, I think I'd rather see this show in the arena than in that shitty theater. They should make the Knicks play in there.

$2 Bill MCR in Philly

Tickets for the $2, MTV2-filmed My Chemical Romance show in Philly go on sale this Saturday at noon.

Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical Romance are playing together in Allentown 4 days earlier. Taking Back Sunday is playing Webster Hall next week.

This is not what this site has become, FYI. Well, sort of. But not really. It's just been that kind of week.

There was also a free Kanye West Show at Nokia that went available today through American Express, but I believe all the tickets are now gone...

TBS at Webster Hall

Taking Back Sunday is playing Webster Hall next Wednesday, if anyone is interested. My So-Called Life sideproject 30 Seconds to Embarrassment is opening. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. There was a presale today. CHARITY is the password, just in case you needed a last second reminder as to why you were spending $40 on a concert. Cause its a benefit show. Thanks Laura, Dave and Jen for the heads' up.

I've saw TBS not too long ago. These are fun shows, my friends. $40 fun? Not sure about that. Did I mention it's for a good cause?

Everyone's Starting Over

I had absolutely nothing to do with this booking, tho I satisfyingly approve. It's been maybe a year since I last saw The Diggs. Their album just found it's way back on my iPod a few weeks ago, and it still really works for me. Better then ever. I just saw Slowlands a few days ago, but this is most likely their last show until CMJ in November. Don't hold me to that, cause you never really know, but they wanna work on new stuff and this seems like a good time to take a bit of a break.

Here my new favorite Diggs song.

The Diggs - Faith in Strangers (mp3)

See you tonight.